No Assembly Of Over 4 People Between 6 PM To 6 AM: India Tightens Security Along Tripura–Bangladesh Border
The assembly of over four persons has been prohibited between 6 pm and 6 am without prior permission. Image courtesy: X.com/@BSF_India
With tensions simmering across Bangladesh and growing instability ahead of the February 12 general elections, Indian security agencies have stepped up vigil along sensitive stretches of the India–Bangladesh border in Tripura’s Gomati district following intelligence inputs warning of possible movement of armed cadres from Bangladesh-based outfits.
Officials said the alert was triggered by reports of activity involving groups such as the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) and the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), raising concerns over infiltration attempts and cross-border disturbances.
Legal measures have been put in place
In response to the security inputs, the Gomati district administration has imposed restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, aimed at preventing threats to public order and safeguarding border areas.
Tripura, which shares an 856-km-long international border with Bangladesh, has often witnessed heightened security deployment during periods of political flux across the frontier.
Which are the most vulnerable areas?
According to an order issued by Gomati District Magistrate Rinku Lather, inputs received from the Commandant of the 159 Battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF) flagged a vulnerable stretch extending from BOP Labokant Para to BOP Chaplin Chera under the Karbook sub-division.
This zone has been identified as sensitive due to the potential for stealthy infiltration, smuggling operations, and activities aimed at disturbing public tranquillity, particularly during the volatile pre-election period in Bangladesh.
Are infiltration and militant movement key concerns?
Security agencies have expressed apprehensions about possible infiltration by Bangladesh nationals, Rohingyas, and members of militant organisations, exploiting the prevailing uncertainty in Bangladesh’s internal security environment. “The restrictions are necessary to prevent the designs of anti-national elements and activities inimical to the safety and security of the general public,” the district magistrate noted in the official order.
The prohibitory orders will remain in force from December 3, 2025, to February 28, 2026, covering villages located within 300 metres of the international border along the identified stretch.
Key restrictions include a ban on the assembly of more than four persons between 6 pm and 6 am without prior permission; complete restriction on civilian movement during night hours unless authorised by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Karbook. Further, there is a prohibition on carrying lathis, firearms, or weapons, except for authorised security personnel.
How are security forces responding on the ground?
Police, BSF, CRPF and other forces deployed on official duty have been exempted, while residents living close to the border have been given limited exemptions. Security agencies have intensified surveillance, patrolling, and intelligence-based monitoring along the border to deter infiltration and ensure law and order.
Officials said the measures are precautionary and aimed at insulating Indian territory from any spillover effects of political unrest or militant mobilisation in Bangladesh during the election period.
